Chapter 363

Treasure hunting is usually a game you’d typically find at sports days or festivals, but it’s also really useful in practice.

You could track down a treasure hidden somewhere, or even sneakily follow someone who’s doing the tracking.

This means there’s room for a surprisingly wide range of strategies and tactics. Plus, this is the Academy we’re talking about.

The professors aren’t fools; they’ve likely put their heads together to create the rules, so it’ll definitely be more entertaining.

“The treasure must be found through clues, which will be scattered all over the Examination Ground. You might even stumble upon a treasure while looking for clues.”

“How many treasures are there in total?”

“Good question. There are a total of 7 treasures. Additionally, if you find the treasures, you can gain some pretty special perks.”

Set the perks aside; it’s surprising how few treasures there are. This means one of two things.

Either the treasures are hidden in incredibly difficult places, or the real secret lies within those perks.

Especially since the treasure guarded by the assistants is said to give out overwhelming scores compared to the others. Honestly, that raises a bit of doubt.

After all, the exam is meant to be taken by the students, so it could seem unfair to award more points just for snagging an assistant’s treasure.

But, since detailed information hasn’t been released yet, we still need to listen. It’s too early for conclusions.

“You will learn what those perks are once you find the treasures. Some will shorten revival times, and others will boost your physical strength or magic output.”

“Doesn’t that give too much of an advantage to whoever finds the treasure?”

“On the flip side, many people will be targeting that treasure too, so it won’t be that favorable.”

That makes sense. It’s that whole aggro thing; the more you find the treasures, the more attention you’ll attract.

Especially since the treasures are directly tied to scores, everyone will be frantically searching for them. That’s a given.

However, a point to note is that they didn’t split us into teams. If we had been divided into two groups, it would have just been a fight between them~.

‘Why did they decide on individual matches, though?’

In practice, this is effectively an individual match. This could lead to things going quite differently from what Dis intended.

He’s working hard to rally a team that’s about as united as a pot of beans, yet the exam flips it all around.

What on earth is Dis aiming for? I have a feeling he’ll call the assistants later for an explanation.

“The duration will be set for three days, and the person who has collected the most treasures when the exam is over may have an advantage.”

“You mean that doesn’t necessarily mean the last part is crucial?”

“You could interpret it that way. The scoring will be done by our professors.”

The method for scoring is ambiguous, or rather, it was kept under wraps.

The freshmen began to murmur, likely picking up on the oddity. Most leaned toward thinking it was unfriendly.

Even I found myself tilting my head at the rules Dis introduced; I can only imagine how confused the students were.

“It seems everyone is struggling to understand. But everything can be understood.”

“… …”

As Dis spoke, the murmurs died down almost immediately. It felt like he was about to toss out another clue.

Eventually, Dis glanced at me, then revealed what could be the most important rule to the students.

“As I mentioned earlier, each treasure has a unique secret hidden within. So, you might think, what happens if all the treasures are gathered?”

“… …”

“If you gather all the treasures and meet special conditions, a reward more magnificent than anything else awaits you.”

“Like what, for example?”

At the mention of a special reward, Namgoong Seokdae finally spoke up. He’s not one to ask questions often, but he seems genuinely curious.

For the record, I’m equally curious. After all, I’m taking part in the exam as an assistant, and I’ll be in charge of one of the treasures.

I wonder what’s going on in Dis’s head. It really does pique my curiosity.

“For instance…”

Dis trailed off while quietly surveying the students, even managing a smile.

As a bald guy with a pronounced X-shaped scar formed that grin, it was honestly quite unsettling…

‘What a strange fellow.’

He really looked sly in a multitude of ways. Come to think of it, I’ve heard he even has a family.

It seems like rough-looking guys like Malboro tend to be surprisingly popular. Maybe it’s because they give off a reliable vibe.

Anyway, pushing those stray thoughts aside, Dis revealed something shocking with a smile.

“In the future, you could skip any course, avoid taking exams, and just move up to the second year.”

“!!!”

“If you want, I could propose that you start taking second-year classes right away.”

“What?”

“What the…”

That’s a benefit that’s way beyond expectations. It’s practically an early graduation offer.

At the academy, most students graduate after filling out the entirety of their academic years, barring special circumstances.

Even with my skills, I’m still gradually moving up from being just a regular student.

Of course, I’m here largely because I lack ‘cultured knowledge’ rather than practical strength, but other students are different.

“Is that even possible? We’re only halfway through the first semester of our first year!”

“That’s incredibly bold. What kind of thought process led to such a benefit?”

It was so outrageous that even Kara and Karas couldn’t hide their shock. It’s that unbelievable.

‘This is bound to cause a ruckus.’

While it might be acceptable to a certain degree, it’s a massive advantage. It’s only natural for anyone, especially an academy student, to feel greedy.

Even if there’s a condition that you need to gather all the treasures, given the three days we have—

This situation is ripe for division, likely leading to internal fighting among them. Honestly, it’s excessive.

‘Reina is interested too…’

Even Reina had shining eyes. With her fists clenched tight, it seemed she was determined to see it through no matter what.

At this point, I’m just bewildered. I’ll probably only grasp the full picture after Dis calls the assistants in later.

“Alright everyone, make sure to train hard this week. Also, be cautious, as students blinded by greed could end up being held back. That is all.”

Dis concluded the assembly with those words. Yet, even after the meeting ended, no one left the classroom.

The assistants, including myself, slowly followed after Dis. I took the opportunity to glance around at the students.

It seemed like factions had already started forming, as I spotted some students conspiring together.

No matter how you look at it, it looked more like they were about to fight among themselves than cooperate. Could it be that they’ve already given up?

“What on earth was Dis thinking when he set such conditions? Things are already dangerous enough.”

As we walked down the corridor, Kara asked. She was aware of the tense atmosphere among the class.

Now that more outrageous exam details have emerged, the assistants will have even more to deal with.

Actually, it may spread beyond just the assistants; it could affect the entire class.

“I can’t share that with you right now. We should probably step inside for a moment.”

Dis didn’t reveal anything immediately, as if he believed there were ears everywhere.

It seems it’s something quite significant, so we obediently followed. It might just be crucial information.

Upon entering Dis’s personal research room, he gestured for us to make ourselves comfortable on the couch.

Since I’m the biggest in size, I ended up sitting in a corner. Kara took a seat next to me.

“Hmm. Is it that you’re all larger, or am I just small?”

“Both?”

The problem is, just the two of us sitting filled the couch to the brim. Kara has a good stature herself, so it’s understandable.

She might not be wide but has a good height, which makes for a snug fit. Plus, with other attributes in a good way, it can be awkward.

Anyway, Karas dragged over a chair and sat down. Once we were ready to listen, Dis took a seat across from us.

“You’ll probably find it hard to understand why we’re aiming to provoke a class that’s already on the edge.”

“If things escalate, the academy might not be able to handle it.”

“I don’t want that either. I don’t want to be fired with a family to feed. I might actually lose my head over it.”

Dis mimicked a throat-slitting gesture. It was frivolous, but the real question is how likely that could actually happen.

That’s not something to just brush off lightly.

“It seems there’s some secret tied to the exam.”

“More like there’s a third force at play. For instance, people like you assistants.”

“Us? You mean we’re directly involved in the exams?”

At Kara’s question, Dis nodded affirmatively. He indicated that it was the case.

It’s not that strange for assistants to participate in exams. Didn’t that happen during previous practices?

However, this exam is different from practical assessments. It’s directly linked to the students’ scores, so balance is crucial.

If they can’t maintain that balance, the students will surely protest vigorously. Professors, including Dis, will need a valid reason to present.

“That’s how it’ll be. You all could potentially gather treasures together. The more of you do that, the more concentrated the students’ attacks will become.”

“Even if we’re targeted…”

Kara trailed off, looking at me. It was a look that seemed to ask if just one of us could fend off a horde of students.

Dis appeared to recognize this, chuckling quietly as he replied.

“In the last practice, some students ended up self-destructing, and more importantly, Sivar used darkness exceptionally well. Luckily, due to an incident in the forest, students became aware of Sivar’s abilities.”

“So you aim to make him the public enemy. That way, no one would dare mess around.”

“Exactly.”

A public enemy. Nothing could unite people better for that purpose.

Yet, there’s not a single flaw in the plan. The problem is motivation.

Even as a third force, it raises questions as to why they’d put in the effort, but perhaps Dis anticipated this and threw out a preemptive strike.

“By the way, your midterms will be replaced with this exam. I’ve already made arrangements with Malboro.”

“And what do you think about our opinions?”

“We’re the professors, and you’re the students. But don’t worry too much. You will receive bonus points as assistants.”

“Well, if that’s the case…”

Honestly, it’s not the scores I care about. What’s more important is something different.

“Professor.”

“Go ahead.”

“If we gather all the treasures, will we be able to wish for something like this?”

“What wish?”

I recalled having seen something similar in a movie. That’s where I extracted my idea.

“How about scoring zero on the exam?”

“… …”

“What do you think?”

Dis smiled approvingly at my suggestion.

******

Meanwhile, in an alternate reality, Malboro and the professors, who normally would’ve been taking the midterms alongside Sivar, were—

“Wow, it’s so easy to maintain balance with just one person absent?”

“I’d worked overtime during every exam; today I get to go home on time…!”

“Ah, it turns out time exists for us after all.”

“It’s too easy… or wait. Was it always like this?”

They were happily basking in the freedom of a sudden day off.

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